The District Kreuzberg

Within the 1920s the district Kreuzberg developed from the joining and following incorporation of some Berlin suburbs. The small hill, named Kreuzberg, in the Viktoriapark with 66 metres is second highest mountain of Berlin and the name giver of the district.

Today, Kreuzberg is regarded as one of the hippest neighbourhoods within Berlin, beside Friedrichshain and Prenzlauerberg. The former quarter of the squats and the May 1st rampages has become quieter now. The district is characterized by a multicultural lifestyle with a quite alternative flair. Very impressive is also the “Karneval der Kulturen” (German for: Carnival of Cultures) every year. Moreover, the largest Turkish population – outside Turkey – resides here, which is why Kreuzberg is often nicknamed “Little-Istanbul”.

Shopping

The shopping scene of Kreuzberg is just as miscellaneous as its residents. Second-hand, but also newest fashion, as well as Turkish and many further exotic special grocery shops are integrated into the district. This, amongst others, really reflects the individualistic Berlin way of life.

The hippest shops surely also are part of a hip neighbourhood, such as Kreuzberg. Thus, on the one hand, there the Depot2 is located in the Oranienstraße. The shop has started with military clothes. Today, from accessories to Sneaker one can expect all kinds of diversities in there. On the other hand, the High Lite is a very trendy head shop, located in the famous Bergstraße, and offers accessories, like lamps, jewellery and clocks. The Hanfhaus (German for: Hemp house) in the Oranienstraße has its location deservedly in Kreuzberg for some years already. The store offers quite everything, besides textiles, such as food, cosmetics and bags made of hemp that in Berlin can legally be produced and sold.

Further, a small bag shop, named BagAge is located in the Bergstraße and richly filled with the most innovative pieces from national and international labels. Among other things, basic materials used are airbeds, recycled rubber but also postbags from the GDR.

The “Faster, Pussycat!” at the Mehringdamm is definitely worth a visit. The very wacky shop offers various fashion and accessories that is not quite suitable for everyday use, next to unbelievably curious wigs. But Berliners are not conservative. Thus, there are numerous customers visiting the store regularly to complete their everyday wardrobe.

The Karstadt is a well-known department store in Kreuzberg at the Hermannplatz. Besides the supply which one expects in ordinary department stores this also includes an impressive food market and some gastronomic facilities.

In market hall Marheineke at the Marheinekeplats more than 50 vendors offer their products for the sale on Mondays and Saturdays. Amongst other things, it includes a fish market, a speciality market, as well as gastronomic facilities. All articles offered there mainly are biologically produced. Thus, who sets importance on good quality is better off in the Marheineke covered market.

Nightlife

The inhabitants of Kreuzberg enjoy a quite diversified nightlife. E.g., the Oranienstraße, is one of the best known bar streets of Berlin. Bars and cafés of any kind are integrated here and give the inhabitants of Kreuzberg and visitors the opportunity to turn the night into day. Also the Club SO36 that is located here is opened on many days during the week and offers a quite mixed music repertoire beyond the classic Mainstream charts. Howerver, not only partygoers will find a suitable and original Location here. Further, numerous unusual events take place, such as dancing courses or a night flea market. Moreover, numerous further very interesting clubs can be found in the district. This variety of Locations and its diversity makes Kreuzberg known as one of the most popular party zones in the capital. The possibility of celebrating substantially is offered here every day in the week, whether with good DJs or to live concerts of all styles of music.

The 100 years old Yorckschlösschen in the Yorckstraße, where more than 25 years ago hosts took up residence to get good musicians on the stage nearly all week long, is particularly popular among enthusiasts of jazz and blues. Moreover, they offer her guests free W-Lan access and a summer garden. You can also get something to eat here – the kitchen closes at night at 1 o'clock.

The Junction bar in the Gneisenaustraße is very important in the Berlin music scene. On every imaginable day in the year live bands are on the stage including all styles of music – such as chanson, pop and rock. It is known and popular for its notable diversity and a very comfortable ambiance, which is why the visitors here virtually beat a path to the bar’s door.

As a matter of priority alternative sounds and exactly the same types of guests can be expected in the Kato, directly at the subway station Schlesisches Tor. Meantime, the Rock-It-Party on Thursdays of great popularity.

The more than popular old movie theatre, called Lido, also is in Kreuzberg in the Cuvrystraße. It derived from the fifties, was rebuilt and today is the meeting point for all big fans of Indie, electric pop and rock. Neither the bouncers nor the guests set a special value on styling, here. With the concerts and international DJs who play here, every time, masses are attracted, also the entrance price varies frequently.

In the 17th floor of a skyscraper in the Stresemannstraße the Solar offers a breathtaking view over the city. There it gets almost insignificant that the bouncers are bad tempered, service unfriendly and slow and the cocktails not the best. The other highlight is the journey up in a glassy lift.

From a summer day into the night you can marvellously celebrates in the Golgatha in the Viktoriapark. The visitors get comfortable in the deck chairs or enjoy the last beams of the setting sun on the housetop terrace while drinking a cold beer. Different DJ’s finally play from 10 p.m. in the night. The bar has opened from April until September.

From a summer day into the night you can marvellously celebrates in the Golgatha in the Viktoriapark. The visitors get comfortable in the deck chairs or enjoy the last beams of the setting sun on the housetop terrace while drinking a cold beer. Different DJ’s finally play from 10 p.m. in the night. The bar has opened from April until September.

The Watergate in the Falckensteinstraße, opposite the building of Universal Music, is absolutely hip and offers a nice view on the River Spree. The DJ mixes the electronic Sounds, such as D’n’B, Breakbeat, Techno and house, sometimes even until the morning or the afternoon.

Culture & Entertainment

Also different theatre houses are integrated in this Berlin district. On the one hand, the three houses of the provocation theatre Hebbel Am Ufer arrange for many surprises. Furthermore, the off-theatre F40 in the Fidicinstraße shows English plays. The Berliner Kabarett Anstalt (BKA) was founded in 1988 and unites numerous performances in the fields of (music-) cabaret, comedy, travesty and chanson.

The Ratibor Theatre in the Cuvrystraße is the best improvisation theatre of Berlin. There, different performances take place during the week where the audience gets the possibility of determining themselves which actor plays which role, to which topic to improvise, who has played the best one or which props are used. In addition, laymen also can take part in improvisation classes to understand and learn the art of this type of play.

Since the year 1982 the Museum für Verkehr und Technik (German for: Museum for transportation and technique) exists directly at the Channel, called Landwehrkanal, in the Trebbiner Straße. This contains land-, air- and water-based means of transportation of every type and, furthermore, techniques of the themes media, energy, data, photo, and writing as well as printing. Moreover, it is designed interactively, as well. Visitors get the possibility to try out and experiment much themselves, which can be very thrilling especially with the topics about the principles of physics.

In today's Martin-Gropius Building in the Niederkirchstraße great temporary exhibitions are integrated. E.g. the "Rundlederwelten" (German for: round leather worlds) in the course of the football World Cup in 2006 or “Ägyptens versunkene Schätze” (German for: Egypt's sunken treasures) in 2006 have been hosted there and attracted 450,000 visitors within about four months.

An expedition through 2000 years of German-Jewish history is made possible by the permanent exhibition in the Jewish Museum (German: Jüdisches Museum) in the Lindenstraße. The visitors are given an understanding of the Jewish life and traditions, as well as the change of the religion from the middle Ages until today.

The checkpoint Charlie is part of the most popular sights for visitors in Berlin and is located in the Friedrichstraße. It is one of the best known border crossings of the City during the time of division of the U.S. American and the Soviet sector between 1961 and 1990. Originally it was built to be able to register the transfer of the military personnel of the West Allies and foreign diplomats. The Mauermuseum (Museum of the Wall) – also called “Haus am Checpoint Charlie” then opened in June 1963 near the Berlin Wall. Here the memories of the successful escape attempts and their means are included. With about 850,000 visitors within a year it belongs to the highest frequented museums of Berlin.

As Kreuzberg is so multicultural, of course the district is best suitable for the “Karneval der Kulturen” (German for: Carnival of the cultures) that takes place every year. It belongs to the most miscellaneous and popular events in Berlin, where tolerance and mutual respect of the very different cultures can be experienced. The parade is internationally known and nowhere more at home, than in the City of Multiculturalism, Berlin.

The Berlin horror chamber (German: Berliner Gruselkabinett) in the Schöneberger Straße offers many moments of fright on the area of the former air-raid shelter. An exhibition is located in the basement about the bunker history with various lost property – among these are left, anonymous and personal objects.

Sport & Recreation

For women the Hamam in der Schokoladenfabrik in the Mariannenstraße provides for recreation in a warm and agreeable atmosphere. In the bath both body and soul shall be cleaned and cared for and the well-being completely strengthened according to the Hamam culture.

The special bathing fun you can get at the Spreewaldplatz (Wiener Straße) and, to be more precise, during the complete year. The indoor swimming pool is equipped with a swimming, dive/jump, waves-making and non-swimmer area. A water slide, massage rooms, dry saunas, sun beds and a bistro can also be found.

Eat & Drink

Kreuzberg is truly one of the gourmet districts in Berlin. The restaurants and their cooks are just as douwn-to-earth, as international - just matching the residents of this multicultural district. Here no exaggerated power struggle is performed in order to achieve popular Michelin-Stars. One rather tries to offer particularly various and good cuisine so that taste suits everyone. The variegated Kreuzberg has therefore been intermingled with various alternative pubs and bars, kebab stands and large eating miles, such as the Bergmannstraße and the Mehringdamm.

What would be the City of the “Currywurst” without a good Currywurst stand? One of the most popular stands is at the Mehringdamm in Kreuzberg – the legendary Curry36.

The “Altes Zollhaus” is a Restaurant owned by Herbert Beltle, where guest get indulged in culinary delights. Because of the constantly outstanding gastronomic performance, in addition, the restaurant at the Carl-Herz-Ufer also has been honoured with the "Kochmütze" (a special award for restaurants).

A jewel of the district is the Horváth, where the cook Wolfgang Müller spoils his guests by combining German with Asian food in a completely one-of-a-kind way. Quality surely also has its special price here. For a 3 course menu one pays at least 40 euros. To whom it is worth to invest €63 for a perfect meal, the 10 course Verkostungsmenü is very much recommendable, since this encompasses the complete range of his culinary arts.

Pictures of Romy Schneider, as well as deer antlers adorn the walls in the restaurant, named Austria. Also the food is matching this hunting lodge style. Beginning with the gigantic veal cutlets – these belong to the best ones in Berlin – up to the sucking pig each Thursday and the popular Kapsreiter-Beer, there are various reasons why the restaurant attracts so many people.

Particularly the little ones will very much enjoy being at Tomasa in the Kreuzbergstraße. They will get an own children’s menu and have the possibility to let their creativity and enthusiasm run wild in the playroom. Of course, the coloured pencils can also be used here. The adults won’t get a raw deal either. Beside the fact, that they know their children to be not bored, they are provided with various international delicacies made of seasonal ingredients.

Not only vegetarians are daily lured into the meat free Café Seerose at the Mehringdamm. The meal over here really can be considered as a culinary delight, with creative dishes prepared freshly. You can the arrange your menus yourself.

Local Transport

Kreuzberg is ideally located within the local transportation network. The S-Bahn (German for: Suburban railway) line S6, as well as the subway lines U1 and U7 provide for the east-west connection. U6 and U8 connect the north with the south of the City and cross the district. Further S-Bahn lines S1, S2 and S25 offer a very good possibility of reaching various surrounding districts of Berlin.